Fall Greens Identification

The cool weather and rain has meant we have a beautiful crop of fall greens. 

Here is a photo of some we harvested last week:  clockwise from the top we have teen brassicas, mizuna, tatsoi, green mustard and in the center red mustard.  In cool weather all these greens are mild enough for salad or they can be braised or wilted or added to soups just before serving.

Tatsoi is a mild green often found in baby salad mixes.  We like to grow it out to 3/4 size.  It is consistently mild.

Mizuna is a member of the brassica family as well.  It has a slight mustard flavor, but in cool weather it is not hot or spicy.

We grow both green and red mustard.  Mustards like radishes reflect the weather during the time it has grown.  In cool weather the flavor is mild.  In hot weather it is hotter and spicy - a zippy zesty addition to salads or tame it down by braising or wilting it.

I like to add it to salads.  When it has been grown during hot weather I like to roll it like so

and then cut it into sliced ribbons as a colorful and zippy addition.

The members of the brassica family are also know as the cruciferous vegetables as their first leaves grow in a cross formation.  They are nutritious and often cited in literature as cancer prevention food.  We just think they are green, nutritious, and delicious.  Add some to your diet - they are worth it.